Ethosomal Insulin Loaded Biodegradable Electrospun Fibrous Mats: A Novel and Smart Delivery System for Effective Treatment of Diabetic wounds

Delayed wound healing associated with diabetes mellitus remains a critical challenge that still needs to be targeted with novel and smart approaches. A novel ethosomal insulin loaded polyvinyl alcohol (PVA) electrospun fibrous mat was designed and prepared as a local delivery platform with sustained and efficient insulin release for mechanistic treatment of diabetic wounds. Insulin loaded and insulin free (blank) ethosomes were both prepared through thin layer hydration method with an average hydrodynamic particles size of 263.8 nm and 221.9 nm, respectively. Insulin loaded ethosomes were nearly spherical in shape as imaged by transmission electron microscopy (TEM) with a reported insulin encapsulation efficiency of 64.5%±4.98. All PVA elesctrospun fibrous mats fabricated with either pure insulin, blank ethosomes or insulin loaded ethosomes were nearly uniform in size as indicated by scan electron microscopy (SEM). Insulin loaded ethosomes released 84.8% of loaded insulin during 8 hours whereas insulin loaded ethosomal PVA mats released only about 41.3% of insulin at the same time. In-vivo study proved the potential medical effect of fibrous mats loaded with ethosomal insulin in healing diabetic wounds successfully and efficiently by fourth day. The prepared PVA/insulin loaded ethosomes embedded into polymeric electrospun fiber could be a novel, effective therapeutic alternative for diabetic wound treatment. Further investigation should be performed on diabetic individuals to validate the potential wound healing effect of the generated ethosomal insulin loaded PVA patches.